My two year old Frigidaire side by side #PLHS269ZCB4 was damaged by a power surge. It fried the defrost control unit #462532415080011, which I replaced. The freezer is now set at 3 and keeps the temp at 0. The fresh food side is set between 0 and 1 and the temp hovers around 32. Could the power surge have damaged the control damper? and how do I check it? or could it be something else?

Velocity, I've had a bunch of these in the past with your exact problem. It's possible that the surge took out the damper motor. When you turn the thermostat on and off you should be able to hear the damper open and shut. Frigidaire came out with a kit because they had problems with this control assy. The kit contains a whole new deal, cold controls, defrost board, damper motor and housing. This kit took care of this issue on everyone that I installed...part #5303918283...Ron

Ron, could you give a little more input on what kind of problem this kit was to correct, (the service flash about it, if possible).

The one I worked on is a: PLHS269ZCB3 on 11/28/05 I replaced the refrig t-stat because the customer had a problem with everything in the refrig freezing, (including the water filter which burst).

This was my first one of these I've had to work on and took all apart checked damper control, all seemed to work ok but the t-stat would have to go full off to get the damper to close then when turned back up to max. it would not open unless I tapped on the control/t-stat area. My diagnoses was a bad t-stat, replaced it and all worked ok up until 2 days ago when they called and said it was freezing in refrig again.

Had the customer put a thermometer in refrig to watch the temp over night until I could get out yesterday. Got there and customer said it seemed to be working ok now, temps all looked good. T-stat was back to same as orginal, turn to zero/off to get damper to close then all the back to max/9 and it wouldn't open even tapping on it then a few minutes later it's open. DRIVING ME NUTS!!!!!!

My next step was going to be to replace the damper control which is just the damper/motor/switches for $68.00 to customer.

This part with everything will be only $102.00 to my customer and looks like it might solve my problem.

I need to know if this will work as a replacement in this model that I'm working on, the reason I ask this is my damper control is part# 241600902 which is not in this list of dampers that this part is said to replace

Willie, like you, this problem drove me to the edge for a while. Constant freezing in the refer section. It wasn't until I installed the kit that I posted that the problem was corrected. I've had about 15 or 20 of these, haven't had one come back yet. The kit will fit your model, a little expensive but it solves the problem. Like I said, these cats had an issue with this freezing problem so therefore the kit. Ron

Thanks Ron, I don't hear the damper making any noise so that must be the problem. I looked at the Frigidaire Service Bullitin that Samurai posted, I'd like to buy a Genesis electronic control system but it didn't show a part number....anyone know what it is or where I can find one?

Thanks Samurai, I knew what the damper control part number was, I was asking about the part number for the Genesis electronic control system which was in the service bulletin newsletter you posted earlier.

Willie, this was going on some 4 years back when I was in the business - I replaced a stack of these on both the Friggidaires and their Kenmore counterparts. This was discussed on here about a year ago:

Samurai, that service bulletin that you posted was for the electronic models, the one the orginal poster and the one I'm having a problem with has the mechanical t-stats and ADC board.

Thanks guys, from all the experiences you've had with these being a problem, I can be confident that the complete module assembly must be replaced to correct my customers problem.

I sure would like to see some kind of service bulletin about these to know what is really failing. It's kind of obvious since they sale that complete module assembly that isn't listed on the parts breaks, (you have to order individual parts), that they must have had problems with the orginal assemblies.

and found some service bulletin references to this replacement module but none say what is actually causing the problem or what part of the complete module is failing.

==========================================================

PROBLEM: Food freezing in the food compartment on 2001 model refrigerators.
CAUSE: Cold control failing to close the damper door or the damper door is sticking.
SOLUTION: There is a service kit available for SxS 2001 model refrigerators with the ADC (Adaptive Defrost
Control), part number 5303918268. The kit contains a food compartment control, a damper control,
and instruction sheet on how to install and check the product. If you are servicing a product that has
a timer defrost system, order food compartment control # 240448303 and damper control # 240347901.
The kit is for ADC models only. The instruction sheet in the ADC model kit can also be used on timer
models to install the parts and check the product for proper operation of the control system.

=========================================================

PROBLEM: Food freezing in the food compartment on Side by Side refrigerators with the two paddle dispenser in
the freezer door.
CAUSE: There are a number of different reasons for the freezing that are covered in previous Service Bulletins
and instruction sheets supplied with the control and damper kit.
SOLUTION: There will be a new service kit for the field that will consist of the back half of the control box (See Figure).
The kit will include the food and freezer control, the damper assembly, and the ADC control. The part will
be wired completely, except for the light socket. The part number for the kit will be 5303918282 and can
be installed in a 23 or 26 foot Side by Side, with the food and freezer controls located in the food
compartment. The new kit will be used to replace the back section of the control box on all models with the
mounting screw located behind the damper, holding the control box to the right side of the food liner. It will
be used to replace the TIMER defrost as well as the ADC defrost models. This kit was set up because of
the number of complaints of the old kit being hard to install and the number of field returns received at the
factory that were assembled incorrectly.

Thanks Willie, a couple days ago I ordered the whole assy kit #5303918283 which doesn't match your part # so I hope I ordered the correct one. Btw- service bulletin on the electronic control system talked about previously appeared to be a replacement for ADC II control and wasn't clear if it would work on my mechanical model #PLHS269ZCB4. If it does I'd love find one.

Sorry, I didn't even notice that the numbers in the bulletins where different, I was seeing them all the same as the part Ron directed us to.

But that doesn't even mater since both part# in the bulletins 5303918268 and 5303918282 both convert to the new required complete module 5303918283.

Still, I not satisfied, I want to know what is failing that we are required to replace the compelete module. I don't feel there should be any need to replace everything, only the part that is actually causing the problem.

Maybe with a little more research I will be able to find the orginal service bulletin that tells what the real cause of the problem is.

Velocity, if the kit you get has any info explaining the root cause of the problem I would appreciate hearing back from you here when you get the kit. My customer opted to wait to order the part since his seems to be working ok again, (I'm sure I will hear back from them soon).

Willie, Frigidaire is not saying much for the reason for the whole kit. Only that the damper and thermostat control is improved. Along with that I have found a lot of no cool situations on this model where the evap fan runs through the adaptive defrost. The board fails, no evap fan. Then there's the issue of techs dropping the panel and having a hell of a time getting it back up. Along with the kit a large screw is included for the rear side of this panel. With all the aformentioned, maybe Frigidaire deceided to put a kit together to nail it all at one time...the kit I posted is the real deal. Ron

Some had bad dampers, some had bad thermostats and some were improperly
sealed allowing cold air to come around the damper. Most of the damper
issues were caused by the cabinet not being sealed allowing moisture in
which in turn accumilated in the damper door slide track freezing it either
open or closed. What's really strange is the fact that the kit is t/s (truck stock) along
with damper and adc control but not the thermostats. If you look up the
damper in lis it gives you the kit p/n but not the damper itself even
though its t/s also. The kit also included a troubleshooting flow chart to
ck freezer temp, ref temp, compressor current draw and somthing else to tell
you what was actually bad but who was gonna waste there time you were
replacing it all anyway.

And Ron, I remember the bigger screw also. The "Mark 1" version of this kit was very difficult to install. Like you and Milton, I think they tried to come up with a "once and for all" solution.

It's that I just hate to have to charge my customer over a $100 for a part if I can change out a t-stat or damper for a 1/4 to 1/2 that amount, but probably in the long run this is a better solution in this case, it wasn't the easiest job to get the damper control to dismount from the wrapper to replace the t-stat. The damper control unit is all glued to the surround wrapper.